The Hamden Police Department released safety tips for driving at night with wildlife on Feb. 7, as Connecticut has seen an increase in car crashes at night involving wildlife. As a result, more roadkill is present in populated areas.
“What prompted me was one day, two wild turkeys had been struck,” Hamden Police Captain Ron Smith said. “They were surrounded by other wild turkeys that were circling, and it bothered me immensely. That day on RT-15 a dog was hit. Seeing two things in one day prompted me to put a general awareness out.”
The most common animals involved in these accidents include deer, skunks, racoons, squirrels and household pets.
“They happen throughout town. All motorists see them on the side…there’s just things people can do to prevent striking them,” Smith said.
According to the Insurance Information Institute, there are nearly 260,000 reported crashes per year that involve animals. In the United States, an animal is run over every 11.5 seconds. This boils down to an estimated one million animals that are hit each day.
Ninety percent of animal-vehicle collisions involve deer. Nationwide, deer-vehicle accidents cause about 29,000 human injuries, 200 human fatalities and one billion dollars in property damage every year.
In Connecticut, the Department of Environmental Protection (DEEP) receives reports from law enforcement officers of about 3,000 deer killed on Connecticut roadways annually. However, many deer-vehicle accidents are not reported, which include those where deer survive or die in an area away from the road.
In the Fairfield and New Haven counties, the highest number of deer roadkill was on I-84, I-95 and the Merritt and Wilbur Cross Parkways.
Based on deer carcass removal data from the Connecticut Department of Transportation collected in 2001 and 2002, for every dead deer picked up off the road and reported to the DEEP, five additional deer go unreported. Based on this data, this means that about 18,000 deer are killed along Connecticut’s roadways each year, or 49 deer per day.
There is currently no data as in depth for other animals reported both nation and state wide.
The Hamden Police Department advises residents to follow these precautions:
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While driving, it is important to scan the road, and the shoulder of the road for animals. Spotting an animal moments earlier helps a motorist by providing additional reaction time. This is important should an animal run into the road.
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If traveling at night, and if there is no oncoming traffic, use high-beam headlights. This may enable a motorist to observe a domestic animal or wildlife sooner. High beams are useful in spotting some animals’ reflective eyes.
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Caution should be taken at dawn and dusk. Many animals are active at this time.
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Most importantly, if everyone would slow down and travel at the speed limit, many of these incidents could be avoided.
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And to some, please don’t intentionally hit animals. You can be arrested.
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If a collision is unavoidable, remain in your lane of traffic. Swerving to avoid an animal can cause a serious crash and possible injuries.
“Sometimes it is unavoidable, but we want people to be more aware so accidents can be avoided for the future,” Smith said.
Interactive media credited to Alexis Rossi